Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Surrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Glasgow and Surrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,505 per month in Glasgow vs $3,294 in Surrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,735 per month in Glasgow vs $3,965 in Surrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,966 per month in Glasgow vs $4,637 in Surrey, rent included.

Glasgow is about 24% cheaper than Surrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Glasgow and Surrey sit above the global median – Glasgow by 87%, Surrey by 146%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.19 £15.04

$20.68 £15.41

-2.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.0 £73.0

$84.4 £62.9

16.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 £6.97

$8.85 £6.60

5.65%

Cappuccino

$4.76 £3.54

$4.53 £3.37

5.08%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 £1.63

$2.30 £1.71

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 £1.07

$1.67 £1.24

-14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 £4.97

$6.15 £4.58

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.72 £5.00

$5.54 £4.12

21.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 £1.32

$1.51 £1.12

17.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.50 £1.12

9.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 £1.97

$2.87 £2.14

-8.01%

Eggs

$3.85 £2.87

$3.34 £2.49

15.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 £7.58

$8.88 £6.61

14.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.21 £6.86

$7.22 £5.38

27.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 £10.30

$15.66 £11.66

-11.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 £2.43

$4.27 £3.18

-23.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 £1.33

$2.32 £1.72

-22.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 £2.51

$2.97 £2.21

13.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 £2.75

$4.72 £3.52

-21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 £1.23

$1.24 £0.92

33.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 £1.42

$1.64 £1.22

16.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 £0.91

$1.05 £0.78

16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 £1.18

$1.93 £1.44

-17.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.49 £16.00

$13.58 £10.11

58.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 £8.42

$11.34 £8.44

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 £2.24

$2.95 £2.20

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 £2.51

$1.83 £1.37

84.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.04 £3.01

$4.16 £3.09

-2.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.0 £70.8

$138 £103

-31.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 £3.93

$4.60 £3.43

14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 £1.69

$1.77 £1.32

28.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.65 £20.59

$40.27 £29.99

-31.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.44

$1.87 £1.39

3.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.8K £28.9K

$38.5K £28.7K

0.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.0K £28.3K

$39.7K £29.5K

-4.19%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$378 £281

$275 £205

37.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.76 £13.23

$15.69 £11.68

13.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 £30.84

$40.88 £30.45

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 £38.23

$54.8 £40.83

-6.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 £14.39

Cinema Ticket

$17.62 £13.12

$10.80 £8.05

63.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,150 £856

$1,319 £983

-12.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K £13.4K

0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 £93.4

$86.5 £64.5

44.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 £37.71

$42.13 £31.38

20.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 £78.9

$90.1 £67.1

17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 £79.4

$139 £104

-23.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,393 £1,038

$2,341 £1,743

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £753

$1,963 £1,462

-48.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 £2,023

$3,419 £2,546

-20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 £1,403

$1,729 £1,288

9.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,173 £3,108

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,091 £2,302

$7,376 £5,494

-58.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,453 £2,571

$3,470 £2,584

-0.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

5.9

-9.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Glasgow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Surrey: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,393 in Glasgow versus $2,341 in Surrey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 0% higher in Surrey, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Glasgow versus $84.0 in Surrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $311 – making Surrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Glasgow vs Surrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,505 in Glasgow, $3,294 in Surrey – roughly 32% apart. Surrey costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,757 per month in Glasgow and $4,941 in Surrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Glasgow, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,150 per month in Glasgow and $1,319 in Surrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Surrey – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,505 in Glasgow and $3,294 in Surrey. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Glasgow has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,505 in Glasgow to $3,294 in Surrey. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Glasgow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.